No Sugar by Jack Davis Read Free Book Online

go with the conveyances and horses?
    NEVILLE : Personally, I’d prefer to see them go in one operation.
    SERGEANT : One officer could handle it, and it would avoid a lot of problems at my end, sir.
    NEVILLE : All right, you’re in the front line. But I want as many as possible on the train, and definitely no dogs.
    SERGEANT : No, I’ll attend to the dogs when I clean up the camp.
    NEVILLE : [ standing ] Good, I don’t need to impress upon you the absolute confidentiality of the matter.
    SERGEANT : Yes, sir.
    NEVILLE : Well, I won’t keep you. You’ve got a couple of hours before your train.
    SERGEANT : Yes, I’m going down to Boan’s to pick a few presents for the Mrs and the kids.
    NEVILLE : Good, thank you for your co-operation. And don’t forget, no dogs.
    SERGEANT : [ standing ] Thank you, Mr Neville. All the best for Christmas.
    NEVILLE : And to you and yours.
    The SERGEANT moves past MISS DUNN ’s desk.
    MISS DUNN : Goodbye, Sergeant. Have a happy Christmas.
    SERGEANT : Same to you, madam.
    The SERGEANT exits.
SCENE TEN
    Government Well, Northam, day. CISSIE with the aid of a knife is looking for lice in DAVID ’s hair. MILLY and GRAN sew. A car approaches.
    CISSIE : Keep still!
    DAVID : Well stop diggin’ a hole in me head.
    CISSIE : Hold still, I got a big one.
    GRAN : [ looking up at the car ] Gneean nitja koorling ?
    MILLY : Allewah , manatj !
    CISSIE : They got Dad and Joe and Uncle Jimmy.
    MILLY : Gawd, hope they haven’t been caught stealin’ a sheep.
    Everyone is silent. The three men are escorted to the camp by the SERGEANT and CONSTABLE .
    What’s up?
    JIMMY : [ nodding at the SERGEANT ] Just listen to him.
    SAM : We’re all goin’.
    He gestures Nyoongah fashion as the CONSTABLE goes through a pile of warrants.
    SERGEANT : Millimurra and Munday.
    GRAN : Goin’? Where?
    SERGEANT : I’ve got warrants here for the arrest and apprehension of all of youse.
    MILLY : What for? We ain’t done nothin’.
    SERGEANT : I never said you did. You’re bein’ transferred, every native in Northam’s goin’!
    MILLY : Goin’ where?!
    SAM : Mogumber.
    CONSTABLE : You’re being transferred to the Moore River Native Settlement.
    GRAN : I ain’t goin’.
    CONSTABLE : You’re all goin’. You’re under arrest.
    GRAN : What for? We done nothin’ wrong.
    SERGEANT : It’s for health reasons. Epidemic of skin disease.
    JIMMY : Bullshit, I’ll tell you why we’re goin’.
    CONSTABLE : You wouldn’t know.
    JIMMY : You reckon blackfellas are bloody mugs. Whole town knows why we’re goin’. ’Coz wetjalas in this town don’t want us ’ere, don’t want our kids at the school, with their kids, and old Jimmy Mitchell’s tight ’coz they reckon Bert ’Awke’s gonna give him a hidin’ in the election.
    CONSTABLE : What the hell would you know? You don’t even vote.
    JIMMY : I know more about wetjala ’s gubment than you do, and what I’m tellin’ you’s the truth.
    CONSTABLE : Bullshit.
    SERGEANT : Shut up, will you? I don’t know whose idea it is, it’s got nothin’ to do with me.
    CONSTABLE : You barkin’ up the wrong tree, Munday.
    JIMMY : Bullshit, Jimmy Mitchell’s—
    SERGEANT : [ interrupting ] Look, I know this much; Jimmy Mitchell’s got nothin’ against blackfellas, or anybody else, for that matter.
    JIMMY : No, he’s got nothin’ against ’em. Not worth losin’ a bloody election over, that’s all. I’ll tell youse somethin’: you’re wastin’ your fuckin’ time.
    CONSTABLE : Hey, all right.
    JIMMY : ’Coz wetjalas aren’t gonna vote for ’im. You know why? ’Coz he’s got all them Chinamens workin’ on his farm at Grass Valley and wetjalas don’t like that. He’s gunna get rida the blackfellas, he should get rid of them